Caged Bird
by sadisticmasochist kitsune
Summary: Neji finally found the key to his freedom...but at what price?


Disclaimer: er...I don't own Naruto

A/N: just a little warning...there is a character death.

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Hinata could tell that the mission was not doing well. She didn't need her Byakugan to see that. All around her, her friends were slowly being pushed back. The fighting clearly turning in favor of Orochimaru's subordinates. Even Naruto, whose stamina was inexhaustible, was beginning to tire.

Burning golden rays splashed across Hinata's eyes as the setting sun sank below the tree line. Temporally blinded she did not see the kunai fly at her.

"Hinata-chan!"

A flash and the kunai's path was diverted by a shuriken coming from behind her on her left thrown by a blonde ninja. White eyes opened in stunned surprise, the brunette kunochi stumbled back, glancing in Naruto's direction. The future Hokage flashed her a bright smile before returning his attention back to the battle.

"Arigato… Naruto-kun." She whispered a small blush staining her cheeks. Long shadows stretched out across the clearing as the evening faded and the night wore on. She could tell. She did not need Kiba's shouts of retreat to tell her. She did not even need Ino's cries of despair, nor Shikamaru's quiet mutterings of "troublesome" to tell her. She could see it on her own. All the Konoha ninja were slowly advancing backwards in small discrete steps.

All, that is, except Naruto.

The blonde ninja was blatantly ignoring orders and continuing to engage the enemy, determined to retrieve Sasuke form Orochimaru. Hinata paused in her movement; she was torn with what to do: flee with the group like a coward or stay and fight alongside Naruto. Indecisive, she glanced between the two options, weighing the balances.

"Hurry up Naruto, Hinata! We're getting outta here!" the order was thrown back at them.

"I will never give up! That is my way of the ninja!" Naruto yelled back.

Still hesitant Hinata looked to Naruto, her mind deciding to stay with him when it happened. She 'saw' that just as she 'saw' their inevitable defeat if the group tarried for much longer. But, with mounting worry gnawing at her, she also 'saw' something else, something shadowy and blurred. Something that made her frozen with fear.

A soundnin was suddenly upon her, hands swiftly forming seals. Her mind chillingly blank Hinata stood, unable to move.

A pale slender youth paused in his path, glancing back over his shoulder. The heir to the Hyuuga Clan stood rooted to the ground. Silver eyes narrowed the stoic ninja pivoted, and dashed back the way he had come.

"Hinata-sama!"

Quickly, gentle hands shoved her roughly aside, as the sound attack was launched, and Hinata crashed into the unyielding ground. Waves of destructive vibrations ripped through the youth's vest, tearing muscle and shattering bone. Steaming crimson liquid gushed from the fatal wound, staining the garment a brilliant red hue. A rasping cough shook his frame, bringing forth flecks of his vital life-force. The soundnin smirked as the beaten ninja collapsed to his knees. Pale eyes widened in shocked disbelief, Hinata stared at her fallen kin.

"N-Neji-nii-san!"

A rustling in the chill night wind as it passed through the trees and seven birds took flight. Their wings franticly rushing the fragile creatures from danger. Wet coughs violently wracking his body, Neji glared up at his oppressor with the final vestiges of his strength. Blinding anger riled up at the glare of defiance Neji gave, the sound ninja's temper exploded. Forcefully throwing a kick at the fallen genin, he sent Neji crashing into the ground next to his frozen cousin.

"Stupid… Konoha…brat." He growled, each word accented with another brutal hit. Stacking more power he kicked once more, when the cracking of ribs rent the air he screamed, "Don't you know when to die!"

Alerted by the yells the rest of the Konoha ninja looked back upon their comrades. Horrified at the scene they could only stand and watch.

_You can't change your fate. People are born with a destiny already determined._

The words resounded in Naruto's mind. Clenching his fists, Naruto closed his eyes. 'No' he thought, 'You don't have to take what others give you.' Swiftly looking to Neji, Naruto revealed his once blue eyes were now a vivid red. Hazy red chakra swirled in the air around Naruto's hunched over body. Growling with unparalleled anger, he charged at the ninja from the sound, causing him to pause in his beating.

_Neji, you must protect Hinata._

The command came clearly to him now as it did on that fateful day ten years ago. Yet all he could do was lie there. Naruto arrived, and slammed his body into the other, forcing him away from Neji. As Naruto grappled, Hinata shakily lifted Neji's hite-ate from where it had landed after being knocked off. She clenched the blood stained protector in frantic worry, crawling to attend to her cousin.

Terrified at the sight of raw power and the blood fury, the soundnin vanished in a cloud of smoke. Called back to reality by the sound of his name, Naruto turned to find all the genins clustered around the two Hyuugas.

Dark liquid bubbled in his mouth and trailed down his throat as Hinata desperately tried to help him.

"…stop…Hinata…" Neji whispered.

At his agony filled words, Naruto frantically scurried around desperately trying to ameliorate the dying Hyuuga's pain. Pushing himself off the ground Neji stopped him with a wave.

" 'When a bird trapped in a cage grows wiser, it will try to open the cage with its beak. They don't give up because they want to fly again.' That's what he said to me. Remember? It didn't make much sense then but now… Now I understand and I know what I would have done but I choose this. I choose to make my own decisions and I choose to protect her, Hinata. Not Hinata the heir but Hinata my family." Agitating the wounds, Neji began to cough. When the fit finally let up he sank back to lie on the ground exhausted from the exertion.

"…Naruto…" his voice little more than the sound of a bird's wing, Naruto was forced to lean closer to hear.

"Ne.. Neji?"

"Naruto, you must protect Hinata." He said frustration and failure slowly closing his eyes.

"WHAT!" Naruto yelled sitting back up. "You're going to have to do it yourself!"

"…I…can't anymore. Please promise me, Naruto." The last words faded into silence, mirroring the green seal on Neji's forehead.

A heavy silence descended, bathing the moon-lit glade with suppressing grief. Naruto bowed his head. Silver tears glistened in the moonlight, tracing gleaming paths of regret.

"I promise."

Owari

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SMK: This is my first Naruto story/one shot. So, please review. And if you have any questions feel free to ask. 


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